Old Memories
by Ligthingtooth
Summary: Harlock and his friends look back back on Harlock and his friend Ligthingtooth first meting and how they became friends.
1. Fateful Meeting

Harlock stood by the window in the captains room looking out at the sea of stars. He held a glass of wind in his hand looking grim as usual. he was dressed in his captains suit a black cape with the red brim covered the rest of his black suit. His hazel brown left eye looked at the stars out there as the hazel brown hair of his covered the black patch over his right eye. A scar covering his left cheek and going up over the nose bone made his face look even grimmer.

A sound made him turn his head to his left. By one of the corners of the round next to a window there was a sort of dog bed. The bed was shaded kinda like Harlocks chair with the skull and cross bones decorating its top. A black shadow moved in the bed as the animal resting there stretched his body. A pair of dark blue eyes looked back at him and a white scar shaded in a line from over his right eye to under his left eye seemed to shine up in the black face. The animal got up and came towards Harlock. As he moved past the window the shine from a moon lighted up the wolf seemed almost like a living shadow, his black fur and his lighter black areas on his under side. His thick long fur made the collar on his neck disappear in the fur but you could see the medallion handing down from it. Shaped like the captains trade mark skull hand cross bones the white silver medallion dangled as he walked.

"Is every thing aright? You seem troubled." the wolf suddenly spoke. Coming to a stop not far from the captain, he turned his head a little looking a bit curious.

"It's okay." Harlock said and walked over to his chair next to a small table. He sat down and looked as the wolf came up to him, sitting down next to him the wolf rested his head in Harlocks lap. Harlock smiled as the wolf had his eyes closed, he gently petted his head.

"You know what day it is, don't you, Lighting?" Harlock said looking at him with a faint smile. The wolf smiled and lifted his head.

"Like I would ever forget." he said turning his ears slightly towards the door before turning his head around.

In thorough the door Tochiro and Mimee walked. Tochiro had his brown cape over his short body and Tori-san were sitting on his shoulder. His thick glasses covered his eyes but you could still see that he looked confused. Mimee, a beauty full woman with sightly blue skin, yellow eyes that had no pupils, and long blue hair going down her back. What really was special with Mimee was that she had no visible mouth, he was holing her harp in her hands.

"What day is it, Harlock?" Tochiro asked smiling. Harlock smiled back.

"the day when you met Ligthingtooth right?" Mimee smiled with her eyes. Harlock nodded smiling as he met Ligthings eyes. The wolf waved his tail and looked back at him.

"That is a story you never really have told me, Harlock." Tochiro grinned sitting down on the chair next to Harlock. Mimee sat down on Harlocks bed and gently started to play a petty full melody.

"It's a long story old friend." Harlock sighed and took a sip from the glass, before he started to tell. Lighting was resting next to his bed as the memories came back to him.

A kind wind was blowing through the grass. It was a beauty full day in Arcadia, a small area in German. On a little road a young boy was walking alone. He could not have been more than nine years old. dressed in a dark blue suit that one could see was expensive. His hazel brown hair were laying down in front of his face kinda just showing his left eye but sometimes you could see his right as the wind made his hair move. He was on his way back to his family's mansion. He had been with his friend Maya at their favourite spot not far from the lake. He was walking calmly like always looking up at the sky, thinking about the stars behind the blue sky he could see. His father was a pioneer pilot and were up there somewhere and exploring the sea of stars.

_Some day I'll be up there and I'll explore it all. _He thought as he was walking. The sun were setting and the stars were soon to be seen. He looked around on both sides of the road there was a flower covered field. Some small houses here and there were lying there silently as the night were falling.

As he came up a small hill the road spilt in two, he could either take the road the led west and took a long way around back to the mansion or he could take the road east through a fur farm. He drew out an old pocket watch that had the Harlock pirate clan's mark of the skull and crossbones on it. Flipping up the lid he looked at the clock and sighed.

_I am already very late for dinner as it is. It cant be helped then. _He thought as he closed the watch and put it back in his pocket. _If grandfather is not to yell my skin full for being late again I have to go through the farm._ He grinned to himself as he set his pace up, making his way east. The road there was not long at all and he climbed over the fence at the first rays of the sun were turning red. He could hear the wolfs barking from their fenced areas. The boy bit his teeth together as he heard the long mooring howl from one of the wolfs.

Log ago there had been a great pack of wolfs living free in the forest that belonged to his family. They had been the caretakers of the wolfs as long ago the first Harlock how set out to be a pirate had once saved one of the wolfs life, and the wolf had been forever grateful following his master around always ready to risk his life for his master. As they had returned to Arcadia he had declared that the wolfs of that forest were to be protected, and the wolfs had over the years protected members of the Harlock clan with their life. It was said the they were much smarter than normal wolfs and even some said that they could speak the words of men when needed. Still some men had set out a killer gas in the forest killing of the wolfs. The men that had done it paid with their life but it was to late all the wolfs of the forest were dead. Years had gone by and the only wolfs that lived here now were those in the pens in the fur farm, that were to be killed so that some one could have a fur cote.

he growled to himself. _Even a animals life should be worth more that the fur it wears. _ As he quickly made his way through the farm to the other side he suddenly heard a voice.

"_Don't please! Help me, someone! Anyone! don't let him take me!"_ the boy stopped hearing this voice. The voice seemed like it was in his head.

"_Please anyone! Help me! He is gonna kill me!" _the voice was begging for his life. The boy looked around he could not see anyone but as the light dimmed as the sun was setting down behind the tall mountains he saw the caretaker of the farm in one of the open windows. He was bent down getting something. The boys eyes narrowed, as he slowing crept closer to see. The caretaker took up a wolf cub by the neck. The cubs fur were black as night with some black but lighter markings on his under side.

"you are lucky little one, you get to be a mitten for some rich lady." he laughed to himself as he took the struggling wolf with him.

"_I don't want be be a mitten what ever that is. You are not gonna kill me that simply." _the voice in the boys head suddenly spoke and the cub bit his fangs into his left hand that were close to him.

"Damm it. You little..." the caretaker cursed and took hold of the cubs neck with is right as he pulled his left hand free. The cub was struggling in his grip gasping for air.

"_Damm it. I... cant... give up.." _the voice gasped before it went silent. The boys blood were boiling and he jumped through the open window.

"Let him go!" he called out, looking at the big man's back. The caretaker turned around holding the black cubs head in his right hand.

"Heh? What do you want kid? This is of limits to anyone." the man growled and walked towards him.

"I want that cub. Alive." the boy said not even looking scared as the grown man stood over him.

"Hehehe you know some rich lady paid me a lot of money to make is little fur ball into a mitten and that is what I am gonna do." the man laughed. The boy took his hand down in his pocked and drew up a bundle of cash. He had been saving them for a gun he had wanted but still threw them down on the floor.

"And now I have paid you a lot of money to give me that cub." he said as the man's eyes winded as he saw the money. The caretaker drooped the cub and picked up the money. The cub moved quicly away from him and over to the young boy.

"who are you? To be walking around with this much money?" he asked looking shocked at the boy. The boy picked up the cub that was lying still in his arms looking at him with his dark blue eyes.

"Harlock." the boy said turning around and left holding the cub in his arms.

"Harlock, the son of the great Harlock family." the man shivered in fear for a moment as the some of the story's went trough his head.

Harlock had finally gotten back on the road towards his home still holding the cub in his arms. The cub lay still had looked at him with a curios look.

"Now I am really late, I got dirty from crawling around there, and I have a wolf cub with me. How on earth am I gonna explain this?" he asked out to himself. The cub turned his head little to the left and wined one time, before carefully licking Harlock once on his cheek. Harlock smiled and went in to the house that was his home. He knew at a scolding was coming his way.

In the small forest on the road that went west three men growled as they suddenly saw that Harlock was back home and had not taken the road they had hoped.

"Still we'll get him. We just need time." one of them said and the three men left.

**Author's****Note**

**okay so I wanted to do another Harlock story. I requested Gemini to draw me an picture in fan art central to draw Harlock and my wolf character Ligthingtooth (hence my ****Author****name). she drew a perfect picture of them where Ligthingtooth seems to be standing in front of Harlock, ready to protect him at any cost. You should really take a look at her art at fan art central as she can draw the most amazing fan art ever. **

**Anyway so I have had this kinda story in my head playing around with it and I desisted to see if I can make this story seem possible. Hope I don't wreck any Harlock fans worlds with this but feel free to tell he how I did on this one.**

**Ligthingtooth**


	2. the scar

After getting a sound scolding from his grandfather for being so late for dinner, his mother also gave him a scolding for getting so dirty. None of them really even noticed the wolf cub sitting next to Harlocks feet. Harlock feelt strange as it seemed just to have the cub there next to him made getting scolded was not so bad.

His grandfather were a tall man but he seemed a bit shorter as he was bent forwards. He had long grey hair that covered his face a bit, but it did not covered the scar on his left cheek. He also had a grey moustache in his older face, he was dressed in an expensive brown dress. His hazel brown eyes looked at Harlock.

"You can't be that irresponsible, you are a pirate son. Pirates takes responsibility for their actions." His grandfather looked at him hard as he said this. His look turned down to the small cub next to Harlock as the wolf had made a small bark as he heard the word pirate. He had stood up and waving his tail a little towards them.

"So this is the cub you saved?" He said lifting the cub up by his front paws. He held the cup up too his face and looked at him. The wolf did not show any fear, or did he seen angry. He looked back at the old man, turning his head a little side ways. Harlock nodded.

"Aaw, he's cute." Harlocks mother said as she came up to get a better lock at him. She was a tall woman, her golden hair flowed behind her back as she looked over the grandfathers back. She was dressed in a sky-blue dress and white pearls around her neck. The wolf looked at her dazzled for a moment.

"It's strange. he looks just like Swift Paws." The grandfather said to himself looking at the wolf, the cub turned back at him and turned his head making a curios sound. Harlocks grandfather gave him to Harlock.

"Who?" Harlock asked and took the wolf. The wolf seemed to smile and twisted a little to get drooped down on the floor. As Harlock let him down he sat down looking up at the grandfather, eagerly listening.

"My grandfather was the last of the Harlock clan who had a wolf guardian. The wolf was named was Swift Paws. A fitting name for the wolf. Never before have I seen any thing move as quickly as him. He died trying to save his master only a few days after his pack had been killed. But this cub is like a spiting image of him. Could it be that the pack had other areas where they had cubs?" The old man though for himself, suddenly leaving them mumbling to himself.

"Well you saved him so, he is yours now. I hope you realize that having a pet gives you much responsibility now?" Harlocks mother sighed as she saw the old man leave. Harlock nodded looking down on the wolf. The cub turned his head and looked up at him with what seemed like a small smile.

"I'll take responsibility for my actions." He said. His mother smiled.

"Then you should give him some food. The poor thing does not look like he has been feed at all. Also you need to eat your dinner." She said. As she said that Harlock suddenly realized how hungry he really was. He nodded to his mother. She smiled kindly.

"Then I think I will go and read a little. Don't stay up to late, okay?" She said and turned around leaving Harlock and the cub. Harlock looked down at the cub.

"Hungry? I know I am at least." He said smiling, the cub barked once and waged his tail.

"Yosh, this way then." Harlock said going into the dining room. As he sat down one of the servants came up to him.

"Is there anything you like, young master?" The young girl asked. Harlock looked at her.

"Steak please, medium done, with rice, and and a steak in a bowl for him. As raw as new." He said and as he added the last comment, he looked down on the cub sitting next to him. She looked at him smiling as she was probably thinking something like that he was cute.

"Yes, sir. as soon as we can, sir." She said and went into the kitchen. Harlock looked down on the cub that were sniffing a bit around in the room.

_He is one of a kind that's fore sure. He seems to understand everything that is said and picks up at things so quickly. Yet I have not heard him speak again since the farm, Of course I cloud have just imaged the voice but it seemed so real._ Harlock thought as the cub looked up at him once, waging his tail and came back to sit right next to him. Harlock carefully stoked his head and scratched him behind the ears.

_Still I am glad to have his company. He'll need a name but I don't want to rush naming him. Grandfather said that the last of the wolfs were named Swift Paws for his quick moves. At least I want him to have a name that is right for him._

Suddenly the doors upend and the young girl came back holding a plate of food in her one hand and a bowl in her left.

"Your steak, sir." She said putting the plate down. Harlock nodded and turned towards the food. He did not notice that as she sat the bowl down she carefully petted the cub on his head before leaving the room. As Harlock had started to eat the cub looked at his food. The bowl was a beauty full china bowl and in it there lay a raw steak, The cub had never seen so much meat and never smelled anything so sweet in his life. Yet he could not get himself to sink his teeth into it. Back at the farm there had always been many mouths and too little meat. So as soon as you fought your way to a piece you had to eat it quickly or someone else took it from you. Thinking back to his cage and the other cubs that were still there he lost some of his appetite. Here he was having so much to eat and were safe from the care keeper. Yet he could have feelt a lot worse. The wolfs in his cage were not his friends at all.

When he had been brought to that farm he had come there with 7 others like him. They had been broth to a small forest by his dad, but he had left them telling them to wait in the forest for his return, but a human had found them before he had come back, and they were sold to the farm as new fur. His friends had been lucky and had escaped their cages but could not help him get out. Thinking back on his friends the cub wondered as he often did, if they were still alive yet he had a feeling they were. He looked up at Harlock that were sitting eating like a real gentleman should. The cub sighed low to himself and looked back at his food. His hunger in the end got to him and he carefully sank his teeth into it. As he carefully ripped a piece of, he had never tasted anything like it before. It was sweet and chewy and almost feelt like it melted in his mouth. Even as his hunger could make him just throw himself over it, he took it slow eating only a few bits, tasting every part of it. Harlock looked down and wondered why a cub coming from a place like the farm could eat so nicely, almost like he had looked on how Harlock were eating and took notice from him. Harlock smiled.

"Well, you do surprise me." He said smiling as the cub looked up at him baring once. For the rest of their meal they remained quiet, yet Harlock could not help but noticing that over half of the steak the wolf had gotten was left.

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Later Harlock returned to his room still being followed by the cub. Harlock lay down on his bed and were looking out on the stars that were shining in the sky. The cub jumped up next to him and turned his head courteously to one side as Harlock turned and looked at him. It seemed like the wolf sensed that something was on his mind.

"Tomorrow is my tenth birthday. A special day in the Harlock clan. I wanted to ask mother if she knew if dad would come but... I could not get myself to ask." He said rolling over on his back. "After all it is not so simple as to just come home. He could be on the other side of the universe by now." The wolf whimpered once looking at him. Harlock turned his head and stroked the wolfs head.

"Don't worry. I don't think he'll be here anyway. I don't really care if not. After all I am a Harlock." Harlock said pulling out the old watch again. He lay there looking at it as it turned in his hand. The skull and crossbones mark on it shined in the weak moonlight from a rising new moon. The cub was not sure what Harlock really was feeling. He noticed something shining in the moonlight under a study table in Harlocks room. Jumping down from the bed, the cub quickly made his way over to it and pulled it out. It was a book, the cover had a metal golden shield on it with a black skull and cross bones marked in to it. The cub turned his head sideways looking at it before carefully picked the book up between his teeth. Jumping back up on the bed he carefully nudged Harlock with it. Harlock turned away from the clock and took the book.

"What? This?" He said looking at him, the cub barked once. Harlock smiled."If grandfather knew I had this he would surely have my head. This is an old book that's been handed down in my family for almost a 1000 years now, My Youth In Arcadia. It was written by one of my grandfathers. My grandfather does not want me to read it yet, saying I am to young to understand it." Harlock smiled carefully going trough the pages. There was a few images here and there. The cub looked at him seeing the young boy seemed grim. He carefully nudged his arm and barked.

"What? You want me to read it?" Harlock asked looking confused. The cub barked again laying down next to him. Harlock sighed. Again cub seemed to understand everything that was said and seemed to want to hear the story. Harlock pulled himself up to the bed wall and turned on his night light. The cub came up to him and rested his head on Harlocks stomach. Harlock smiled and started to read out loud from the first page.

A few pages in the cub suddenly lifted up his head and looked to the door. Harlock stopped reading and looked at him.

"What is it?" He asked, the cub turned his head towards him and suddenly Harlock could hear the voice again.

_"Grandfather."_ That one word was the only thing he heard. Harlock quickly hid the book under his pillow as only a few monuments after there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Harlock asked.

"You are still awake then?" Harlocks grandfather slowly opened the door. Harlock nodded. One of the servants followed him in caring a strange sort of basket with a pillow in it. The servant placed the basked by the window and left.

"Thought you might wanted this. Its the bed used by the previous Wolf guardians." He said as the wolf jumped down and smelled the pillow with interest. Harlock nodded again.

"Thanks, I had not really thought about that." He said looking at the wolf as he lay down and smelled the pillow again.

"Also I came to show you this." His grandfather said holding up a picture. Harlock took it as he sat by the end of the bed. The picture was of a family standing outside the mansion on one of the stairs. A beauty full older lady in an dress standing next to a older man with a scar across his face were standing on top of the stair, below them a younger lady were sitting next to another man with the same scar but he also had one over his right eye. On the grass in front of them was a big black wolf sitting being hugged by a ten year old boy. The boy was smiling and the wolf seemed to smile as well. Harlocks grandfather sat down next to him.

"That boy is me. I was at your age back then." He smiled seeming to remember younger days. "But the reason I wanted you to see this was, look at the wolf." He said. At first look it just looked like a normal black wolf, but as Harlock was gonna say something, he came to look at the cub that were now sitting in front of him looking at him curiosity. Harlock looked back down on the picture. The wolf on the image and the cub in front of him had the same markings of lighter areas of fur.

"Seems like you noticed. It would seem like the pack of wolfs were not killed after all." His grandfather said.

"Grandfather, did you ever hear Swift paws talk?" He asked looking at the wolf. The wolf came up to him and stroked his head towards his hands. Harlock petted him wondering how to explain it.

"He seems to understand every thing that i am saying, and I know i heard him before..." Harlock tried to explain.

"Swift always understood what people said. He always were smart, and yes i did hear him speak, but not like you told me. He talked like you and I. But perhaps after every thing this cub have been trough, he does not dare to speak like that in fear of scaring you, and then get killed for talking like that. I heard my grandfather sometimes told me that he did hear his voice in his head." Harlock sighed glad to hear he had not gone crazy.

"Its getting late, you should get some sleep. Tomorrow is the big day." His grandfather said as he stood up again. Walking out of the room he turned his head a little.

"And you better take good care of that book. You know what's gonna happen if you don't." He grinned as he closed the door. Harlock and the cub exchanged looks both of confusion and worry, before the both of them were smiling little. Lying back down Harlock took up the book again and as the wolf returned to his place next him. Harlock continued to read. After a chapter Harlock put the book down and as he did the cub moved out of the bed and down into the dog bed. Laying down the cub looked up at Harlock as he turned the lights of. Harlock were looking at the cub, he was already sound asleep.

_I am sure glad for your company, cub_. Harlock thought as he fell asleep.

Being born a noble Harlock often had to attend party's with his parents and were often left to talk to the other children. except for Maya most of them were already talking about who was richest of them, and how they were gonna make more money as they got older. Harlock hated how they could think like that and were often walking alone. Having only Maya as his true friend Harlock were mostly alone.

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The cub was used to not get much sleep as there were always sounds in the pen, and he used to wake to the cries as the first ones got feed, as there was always much more sounds then. As he lay in the dog bed sleeping, he did not wake when Harlock left and did not wake up until the sun woke him up. He could not remember last time he had seen the sun and was confused and dazzled, as he lifted up his tired head looking around. Realizing that yesterdays happenings had not been just a sweet dream and that he really had been saved out from the pen, the cub got up looking around. Realizing that his new master was not there, he quickly followed the sent of him, following it out in the large hall. He stopped a bit the confused over how big this place was. He stood there wondering what to do. He could howl after him and wait until Harlock came to find him, but he quickly came to the concussion that doing that would only get him in trouble with the others that lived here. He decided to keep looking for Harlock himself. After all he was a wolf and could easily follow the sent trail left by his master. He moved quickly trough the house as the sent kept getting stronger. He got a few strange looks by the servants that did not know that the cub was Harlocks, and one lady servant tried to shoo him away with her broom as she believed he was a stray that had gotten into the house. The cub snared low at her and dodged the broom with no difficulty. As he ran off from her he suddenly found a track that said that Harlock was right behind the door in front of him. Carefully pushing the door open with his nose he looked in.

The room was dark as the windows were covered by some large drapes. The light in the room came from a few candle lights and the fireplace in the room. In front of the fire place Harlock sat in a chair. There was a large man standing in front of him and were bended down to Harlocks face. The cub moved silently forward, but froze as he suddenly saw a shine in a blade the man was holding. Even in the weak light the red colour on the blade was unmistakeable. Harlock sat still in the chair, his face twisted in pain and he was bleeding from the cheek. To the wolfs eyes it also seemed like he was tied down on the chair. Snaring suddenly loudly he jumped towards the man aiming for the arm that held the blade, but instead of biting down on the arm the wolf used his speed and used his fangs to cut. The man drooped the knife and were holding to his arm. The wolf landed on the floor as the man suddenly had a deep cut on his arm. The cub turned around running towards him again ready to jump up in his face.

"WOLF! DONT!" Harlocks voice suddenly called out. The cub had already gotten good sped and his claws slipped on the floor before he finally stopped. He turned to Harlock that had stood up and were looking at him angry. He had a deep cut across his left cheek up to the other side of the nose bone, and it was bleeding badly. The cub was confused. Harlock was being hurt by this man and yet it seemed like _he_ had done something bad?

"Grandfather, are you aright?" Harlock asked. The man turned around. He looked at the cub seeming angry, the cub realizing what he had done cringed a bit. The grand father growled a sort of yes and turned away. Harlock sat down in front of the cub.

"It's okay, every boy that is born from the Harlock clan gets this scar at their tenth birthday. That why it's so special to us. It is a sort of mark of age, you can say. He was not really trying to hurt me." He said smiling a little. The cub turned his head sideways and looked at his master both scared and worried.

"Still, he is damm fast and it feelt like I was getting cut by a knife, not fangs. You have only had him for a day and already he is risking his life to save yours. Amazing." The grandfather said coming up to them. The cub cringed under him feeling shame for attacking the old man. The old man suddenly, to the cubs surprise petted his head.

"Good job little one, I feel safe to leave my grandson in your care. You little lighting bolt." The old man laughed. Harlock stood back up.

"Yosh, lets finish this then, if you are ready." The old man said. Harlock nodded and sat back down in the chair.

As the grandfather wiped the pouring blood away and started to sow the cut back the cub sat in front of Harlock. Harlocks face showed nothing of the pain but his hands were holding painfully hard in the neck fur of the cub. Even as painful as it was to him, the cub braved the pain and sat still until they were done.

"There, now you are a real Harlock." The old man said. Harlock stood up and looked in the mirror on the wall. It was sown nicely but Harlock knew that this mark would never go away. The cub looked at him as the young boy seemed grim again.

"You two should get some food in you, I'll stay here and sow this cut up. The little fur ball did do a good job on me." The old man grinned. Harlock looked down on the cub that was not sure if he should take that remark as a good or a bad thing. Harlock smiled thanked his grandfather and left the room going into the dining room. The cub sat down next to Harlock wondering if Harlock was mad at him for attacking his grandfather. As a bowl of meat was placed before him he looked up at Harlock. The young boy smiled.

"You know? I have never seen anyone catch grandfather of guard before. You are amazing." He laughed. The cub barked, not getting any hints that Harlock was mad instead he was laughing about it. The cub sett his fangs in the meat thinking to himself that he would risk his life any time just to make sure his master were safe so that he could laugh like that.

As they were finishing up the meal Harlock looked at the clock.

"Is it so much already?" He said standing up. The cub looked at him feeling a sort of rush coming from his master.

"I am almost late." He said running out the door. The cub followed right behind him and ran nearly right into Harlocks mother as she came in the door.

"Harlock?!" She called after her son. The cub had to run quite fast to catch up to him.

"I'll be back later, mum, I have a promise to keep!" Harlock called out as he ran down the hall. His mother shook her head smiling to herself.

Harlock ran outside and jumped over the fence hurrying down the hill down towards the lake. The cub followed not to far behind wondering where Harlock was going so in a hurry.

"I cant be late. I promised." Harlock said sliding down a small hill before he kept running. As he finally came down to the lake, he looked around. Apart from the cub there was no one to be seen.

"Yosh, this way, wolf." Harlock said pushing apart some branches of a tall three that had long handing branches. Harlock quickly crept through them and disappeared. The cub looked a bit at the branches before he turned as he heard a sound behind him. Quickly jumping to the the branches, he turned around looking back up the hill where a black dressed man suddenly came running into vision. The man looked around like he was looking for something before he kept running following the road. The cub snared to himself and turned around to find Harlock again. Making his way quickly through the branches, he came to a sort of cave made by the three. Its branches covered it so you could not see it from the out side as it made a cool beauty full place. On the grass under the three were was a lot of flowers and the lake was coming right up to it. The cool blue water glimmered in the sun light. Harlock had lay down on the grass having his arms behind his head and had his closed enjoying the shade. The cub came up to him and lay down next to him. He looked at Harlocks wound and wondered if it hurt him even now. Not knowing really why, he carefully licked over it. Harlock sat up.

"What the? Don't scare me like that." He said the cub looked shame full as he looked at his master. Harlock sighed and lay back down.

"Its okay, I wanted it." He said looking up at the branches over him, But his look seemed to look ever further. The cub suddenly stood up listening towards the branches where they had come in.

"What is it?" Harlock said looking at the wolf the cub stared to snared and held his eyes where the branches started to move. Suddenly a young ten year old girl popped her head out of the branches. Her yellow hair seemed to reflect the suns says and her eyes were as clear blue as the lake. She was dressed in a white dress and smiled as she came out of the branches.

"What? Do I have bugs in my hair or something?" She asked looking at Harlocks confused look. "Oh, please tell me I don't have bugs in my hair." She said suddenly realizing what she had said. She closed her eyes and tears were coming up in the corners of her eyes.

"You don't have bugs in your hair, Maya. I was just surprised to see you dressed so nice." Harlock said as he came towards her and rested his right arm on her shoulder. Maya opened her eyes.

"Harlock, your.." She said stretching her hand out to touch the wound on his face. Harlock took her hand with his right hand and stopped her.

"It's okay Maya." He said. She nodded silently and they sat down. Seeing this girl as a friend of Harlock the cub moved slowly up to them. Maya looked at the cub and suddenly her face lighted up.

"Aww so cute." She said and held her hand out to him. The cub carefully sniffed the sweet smell she had and was never gonna forget that smell. He carefully nudged her hand and she petted him.

"Is he yours? What's his name?" Maya asked looking at Harlock as the cub lay down next to her.

"I don't know yet. I saved him from the fur farm yesterday as I was on my way home. I used the money I had saved to buy him. Greedy bastards." Harlock snared to himself.

"Still its better that you used the money to save his life than to buy something to take life instead." She said petting the wolf.

"Maya, have we already not talked about this?" Harlock said looking at the three over them. She smiled and lay down next to him.

"I still think he was a good birthday present." She said and turned her head towards him. Harlock smiled as the wolf came up to him again.

"Birthday present for myself, hmm?" He said and petted the wolfs head.

"And when we are speaking about that." Maya said and sat up again. she picked up something that she had brought with her. "Happy birthday, Harlock." She said and gave him a red rose. Harlock smiled as he sat up, and took the flower, carefully placed it in his chest pocket.

"Thank you, Maya." They both lay back down. The wolf cub was surprised as it Harlock and Maya came from rich family's, and the gift she gave him was something as simple as a red rose. He smiled as he realized that he had found two people that were happy with the small things in life.

Suddenly a duck flouted past them and the cub would not help himself from running towards it.

"Wolf wait!" Harlock called out seeing how that would go. The cub jumped strait into the lake landing with a big splash. The duck screamed out and took of as the wolf cub finally go his head over the water. Harlock shook his head holding his right hand up to his forehead and Maya was laughing so hard that she was rolling around. The cub swam up to the edge and shook of the water. Looking a little dumb as he looked back at Harlock. Harlock could not hold it back, seeing the look he got and started to laugh.

"Well, I guess you kinda needed a bath." He laughed. The cub barked once and came up to him still dripping wet.

"No, no, no, what are you doing, stop!" Harlock called as the cub stood next to them and shook his fur throwing water over them. As both Harlock and Maya got wet, Harlock stood up.

"Okay, come here you. I'll teach you a lesson." Harlock said as he ran after the cub around the place. Maya sat there laughing of them as they were running around. Harlock was not even being near to catch up to the cub.

**author's note:**

**So this was the sequent chapter, I plan to have at least four, so more is on the way. I cant stop now with the black men coming closer, can I?**

**Okay so some of you may argue with me how Harlock got his scar. Since this is a story about what could have happened before the movie Arcadia of my youth, where you get to see two of Harlocks grandfathers, where both of the have the exact scar as our loved captain has. I have found at on the net, that there is two theories on why, **

**1. is that it is a birthmark. but I find that unlikely as you cant change the genes to have scars, right?**

**2. is that he got it by getting shot at. I find that more likely but still that is also unlikely, as does that mean that all Harlocks have a tendency to get shot across the face at the exact spot? **

**This was kinda just to say out a new theory. That All Harlocks get it at a spesial age, as a right of passage. I don't know why I chose it to be at the age of ten, that just kinda came to me.**

**Also i found that my Harlock does not at times seem like a ten year old child for the most part but I think Harlock and Maya had to grow up fast and kinda that made them into to who they would be later.**

**Hope this kinda made sense and that you liked it. Feel free to tell me how I did.**

**Ligthingtooth.**


	3. the threat

Harlock was going up the hill slowly. He had no rush any more and took his time heading back to the mansion. The wolf cub was walking next to him looking around. The young wolf could not remember when he had been free to play in the green grass or let his wet fur dry in the warmth of the sun. This day had given him back all his wanting for life. The green grass was soft under his paws and there were a hundred different smells in the air. Sniffing them all in he sighed and looked up his master. The young boy looked at him smiling. Looking up at the boy who saved his life he would gladly give up his own for him. Barking a bit he ran in front of Harlock and came to a stop at the hill top. Harlock came behind him smelling the red rose Maya had given him. The cub barked two short barks as Harlock came up.

"What is it?" Harlock asked looking at the cub before turning to see the mansion. Coming in the gate there was a silver grey car. Harlocks face lighted up.

"Dad!" He called and ran up to the mansion. The cub followed his master running up to the gate. Hurrying past the gate, Harlock ran up to the military dressed man. He was dressed in a red pants and red shirt, there was two black stripes at his sides, and a white scarf around his neck. His hazel brown hair moved slightly in the kind wind.

"Dad!" Harlock called again making the man turn. The man's face shined up as he saw the boy coming towards him.

"Harlock!" The man took hold of his son and lifted him up as the boy had come up to him. The cub stopped and looked at them smiling to himself. Harlocks dad smiled as he put his son down again.

"You are getting heavy, you sure are growing up. Let me look have a look at you." His father said holding a hand to Harlocks shoulder. Harlock smiled and looked up at his dad. He had the same scar across his face and his hazel brown eyes seemed wise and cunning.

"Ten years already. Heh you even got the scar to prove it." He said touching the wound slithery. Harlock nodded still just happy his dad was there. The cub moved silently up to Harlocks side looking at the man curiously. The man looked down seeing the young cub.

"Hmm, I have not seen you before." He said and picked up the cub. The cub did not move in his arms and looked at him waving his tail showing that he was happy..

"I saved him from the farm yesterday. Mother said I could keep him" Harlock said. His father looked at him before turning his look back at the cub.

"But he looks so..." He started to say.

"Familiar?" A voice asked behind his back. As the father turned Harlocks grandfather and mother had come out to greet him.

"Mira." The father said putting the cub down and walked up to his wife, kissing her kindly. She smiled kindly at him with tears in her eyes.

"Father." Harlocks dad said looking at his own father. He got a small nod before he looked back at his son and the cub.

"Yes he looks familiar. But how can it be?" He looked at the cub.

"It would seem that there might have been cubs of Swift Paws after all. But we can talk more about it inside. This is not good for my health." The old man said moving inside again. Harlocks dad looked at his wife and smiled. The family moved inside the house.

--------------------------

The little family sat in their living room talking. young Harlock sat on the floor with the cub lying next to him. Harlocks dad sat in his chair with a glass of wine in his hand looking at his son. Mira, Harlocks mother sat sowing on a picture. the grandfather moved around, but mostly standing by the window looking out, holding on to his glass of wine and looking grim.

Getting uneasy by the following silence in the family, the cub stood up. He nudged Harlocks right hand with his nose and carefully bit hold of Harlocks dress jacket slew. He shook his head growling low while waving his tail.

"Hey, are you messing with me?" Harlock laughed as he tried to pull his arm back. The cub growled in response and pulled at his arm.

"It's not wise to challenge a Harlock." Harlock laughed pulling his arm back and pushing the cub away with his left arm. Jumping back the cub grabbed the right hand again shaking his arm. Harlock laughed and pushed him away again. The grandfather turned and smiled as he was reminded of how he used to play with Swift Paws the same way. Mira looked at the play fight that the two were having smiling.

"Be careful, don't let him rip it."She smiled with a kind look in her eyes.

"Let them play like they want to." Harlocks dad said smiling looking at his only son, smiling and laughing. He looked long at his son wishing his travels in space did not take him so far away from his family. He had already lost so many of his sons first years. but still he knew that as a Harlock leading the way into space were something even his son would do at some point. He smiled seeing the cub climb on Harlock shoulders trying to get hold of his friends arm. Harlocks dad laughed as the cub fell down and landed on his back before twisting around and jumping strait at Harlock again not giving up. His laugher silenced and he kept looking at them.

"Is there some thing wrong, my love?" Mira asked looking at her husband with a bit of worry in her face. He shook his head turning to her. His look changed to the kind eyes she had fell in love with so long ago.

"Nothing I was just thinking how long I have been away." He said taking a sip for the glass. She smiled and looked at their son still playing with his friend.

"I'm just glad you came." Harlock suddenly said as he pushed the cub away again. His father smiled and stood up coming over to his son.

"I promised I would come back to your tenth birthday dint I? A Harlock never breaks a promise." He smiled messing a bit with his sons hair. Harlock smiled and looked up at him. The cub stood next to them smiling to himself yet could feel a poke of pain in his heart as he remembered his own father. Many would have said that he had abandoned the cubs but the cub had a feeling his father was dead. He sighed a bit nudging Harlock again. Harlock petted him, making the cub feel better, even as he did not even know that he was said.

"And as we are speaking of your birthday." His father said moving way from his son and over to his suitcase. Harlock stood up looking at his dad. His dad turned around holding some thing in his hands that was covered by a towel. He smiled as he come up to him again.

"You did not think I have forgotten getting you a present, did you?" He said giving it to his son. The cub moved up to Harlock looking curios on what it could be. Harlock pulled away the towel and found a real gun laying in a sheath, that was fasted to a belt. Harlocks face shied up as he saw it.

"Can I really have this dad?" He asked looking up at his father his eyes shining. Harlocks dad smiled.

"Yes it is yours now. I had that with me since I was at your age and it have saved my life many times." He smiled and sat back down. Harlock quickly took the belt on and pulled up the gun looking at it. The cub barked happy as he saw that his master was really happy.

"Dear, are you sure it's okay for him to have it now? He is still fairly young." She asked looking at her husband worried. He did not answer her just looking at his son smiling were enough.

"The younger he learns the better it is, the world is a cruel place, for those how does not know how to fight." The grandfather said.

"Still, I would like for him to not have it with him, just yet." She said looking sad. Harlocks dad smiled.

"Harlock, listen for now, I want you to only have the gun when you are gonna train at the shooting grounds." He said as his son came up to him. Harlock looked at his dad wounded.

"For your mothers sake." His dad said. Harlock looked at his mothers sad face and sighed.

"I promise dad." He said, still a bit wounded. The cub carefully nudged his had to tell he was there. Harlock smiled a as he looked down on the cub. Harlocks father sat down and started to tell a story on how this gun had saved his life. The cub was laying still next to Harlock when something shined in the suitcase Harlocks father had. standing up he moved silently up to it. Carefully he pulled on the towel over the shiny thing.

"Wow, Hey." Harlocks father called as he saw what the cub as doing. the cub jumped as the man suddenly came towards him and a strange green box fell out. Harlocks dad were quick to pick it up and put it back in the case.

"What's that dad?" Harlock asked looking at his father. The grand father moved up to his son and looked at it.

"I have never seen anything like it before." He mumbled. Harlocks father looked angry and the cub looked shameful as he walked back to Harlocks side.

"I don't know yet. I am gonna take it to the lab tomorrow to find out." He closed the case and sat back down in the chair this time taking a big sip of the glass.

"Where did you find it dad?" Harlock asked his eyes shining hoping to get another story out of his dad. His father looked grim and looked passed his son.

"On a alien ship." He said more talking to him self then anyone else. Harlocks mother put the picture down and looked at him. The grandfather was turned towards him as well and Harlocks eyes shined.

"We first met a small ship a few days before not to far form Saturn. The Discoverer picked up the radar signals and as we moved closer they started to shot at us before it took off. A few days ago we met another ship this one was bigger and also they started to shot at us. As we shot back it we quickly got the upper hand and soon we were boring the the only surviving man, or if that was really what he was talked in a language we could not under stand. His skin were green and he looked like his hair colour also had a touch of green. Suddenly my first officer realised that the ship was gonna blow itself up on us and as we moved back to the Discoverer, I noticed that green box. it seemed to be important so i grabbed it and got out of there. As we told the earth government on what we had found they meant that we did not have enough info to even believe us. I just hope that that box have some info that can tell us what we are up against." Harlocks father seemed to become even grimmer as he told about it. Mira face seemed to pale and the grandfather whispered to himself.

"Alien invaders.." The cub did not understand but he realised that what they were taking about it was important. Also he could hear his fathers voice in his head.

"You'll be safe here until me and the others have driven dose green creeps back to their holes." Not sure why his fathers voice rang so clearly his ears the cub looked up at his master worried. The room was terrible quiet as it seemed that everyone had gotten a lot worried. Harlocks father seemed to suddenly shake it of himself the grimness and looked at his son.

"Have you been practising on the ocarina I made for you?" He asked looking at him. Harlocks face shined up again.

"Yes dad, but it broke two weeks ago." He looked a little sad knowing that he could not show his dad how good he had gotten. His dad smiled and stood up.

"I'll teach you how to make one yourself." He said, starting to walk out of the room. Harlocks face shined up as he heard this running after his dad. Even as the threat was looming in the back of his fathers head he decided that he was gonna enjoy his time with his son now and think about it later. His son ran up behind him followed by the cub. As they left the room the two ones remaining in the room looked at each other worried.

-----------

Harlocks dad took the two sit under one of the bigger threes in the garden and gave Harlock a block and a knife. The cub ran around enjoying the sun and grass as he jumped after small birds and bugs.

As Harlocks dad showed his son he realised how quickly his son picked up on the making and were following his fathers steps closely.

The cub were chasing aster a sparrow, jumping up and down as he ran past the two sitting under the shade. Harlocks dad looked at him smiling as his son laughed. Suddenly the cub jumped after the bird following it up in a three, jumping easily between the branches of the three following it up. As the bird got away the cub stood on one of the branches looking after it. Harlock as well as his dad stood looking at the cub astonished as the cub moved back down the same way he had gotten up.

"Wolf, that was amazing! How did you do that?" Harlock asked, holding his head in his hands.

"The little thing has great jumping skills. I have never seen anything like it before." Harlocks dad said smiling, feeling that the cub were somehow gonna be good to have around. The cub looked at them confused as he did not even know himself how he had done it. As Harlock and his dad went back to the ocarina making the cub rested by their side wondering what had come over him.

After a little while Harlocks dad finished the ocarina and took it to his lisp trying it out to see if he got the notes right. Harlock was not far behind and did the same thing the cub looked up at the smiling as he heard the soft tones. Harlocks dad took his away from his mouth as his son changed a little on his ocarina and tried again. Harlock now pleased with the notes started to play the melody his dad had teached him. The cub looked at his master as the melody started but rested his head as he heard it. The melody made him feel relaxed and safe. Harlocks dad rested his head to the three and looked up at the blue sky. Feeling his uneasy heart relax for the first time in a long time. The melody that most Harlocks would feel at ease hearing, Soothed his weary soul and the threat hanging over him vanished for the time being. He took his own ocarina and joined his son playing. The cub looked up at them and smiled as he could feel that Harlocks dad was more relaxed now the melody made him feel sleepy and he rested his head back on his paws and fell asleep, feeling as safe as he had felt when he was with his parents. The soft notes were flowing down the garden and it seemed that most of the garden was softly waving to the melody. Harlocks mother sat now with the window upend and listened as the melody made her way in to her, and she quietly hummed the melody, as she had done so many times by Harlocks bed, when he was a baby, She smiled to herself remembering this, as he sat sowing on her picture of her husband and her young son.

**author's note:**

**okay so this was quickly done but I hope it still got kinda okay. **

**Tell me how I did.**

**Lightingtooth**


	4. The capture

The wolf cub woke up suddenly as he heard footsteps coming towards them. He looked up and saw Mira, Harlock's mother come towards them on a side road. He turned to wake Harlock up, as he to had fallen asleep. Carefully nudging his arm, the cub whined low. Harlock opened his eyes and rubbed some of his sleep out of them.

"What is it?" He asked sleepy. The cub turned to the mother that had still not seen them.

"Oh, let's leave. Her and dad would enjoy some time alone, I think. Lets go back to the house." Harlock whispered, seeing his dad still sound asleep. Sneaking away, the two of them disappeared, before his mother could see them.

Harlock wandered back up one of the side ways in the garden, heading back to the house followed by the cub.

He smiled seeing the young cub wander proudly next to him, his head held high and his tail strait out behind him. The cub looked up at him, smiling a strange kinda wolf smile.

"You sure are something else. I am glad I saved you." Harlock said and scratched him behind the ears. The cub barked happy.

Suddenly the cubs ears turned behind him and he stiffened. They had come to the end of the garden and a small wall were behind them. From behind the wall, the cub heard something that made him worry. He growled low as he heard what ever it was moving towards them.

"Wolf?" Harlock asked and listened as well, getting ready for any thing. Suddenly two men jumped over the wall. They were dressed in black jackets and black hats, and had dark sunglasses as well. The cub growled angry as he remembered the sent of them and he knew all to well that they were not human.

"What the...?" Harlock started to say before one of them tried to grab his arm. Harlock turned around and for a ten year old boy, he had a mean right hook. The man that hit, had to back up, as he had not been prepared for that. The other one came at Harlock but the cub were faster. As the man stretched out to grab Harlock, the cub jumped up, and used the same way that he had attacked Harlock's grandfather with, he used now to attack the man. Using his fangs to cut and not to bite. The man backed up growling, holding to his arm.

"Wolf!" Harlock called and started to run. Harlock and the cub ran towards the house as they had made an opening for them self.

Suddenly a third and fourth man jumped out in front of them. The cub jumped strait at them and made then duck for cover, giving Harlock the chance to get past them. But just as Harlock passed them, one of them got hold of is arm and as he turned to strike out at him, the other one stopped him as well. The cub jumped up and bit hold of the arm that held Harlock, but this time the other one was prepared and struck the cub over the head, knocking the cub nearly out.

"Wolf!" Harlock cried seeing the cub sink together. The four men grabbed Harlock, as he was distracted and forced him with them out of the garden. As the cub struggled to clear his head, he forced his body up and howled out. A howl that were more of a challenge to the men, and yet it had another use as well. Harlock's dad that was sitting in the garden with his wife, stood up.

"What's going on?" Harlock's mother asked and stood up as well.

"Sounds like trouble." Harlock's father said and ran towards the sound. Harlock's grandfather came ruing out of the house hearing the howl. He had heard that howl before and knew that it would mean something had happened.

The cub jumped over the wall, and came after the men that were forcing Harlock into a waiting car.

"Harlock!" The cub called as the doors slammed shut and the car started to go. The cub ran faster that he even knew he could, and jumped up on the back of the car. As the car started to pick up speed, the cub jumped up on the roof. There were no way he could get into the car, so he waited for the car to stop, noticing the way they took. He could hear Harlock still fighting against the men.

"Blasted kid!" One of them cursed as Harlock had hit him pretty hard. The man suddenly hit Harlock hard and Harlock was knocked out.

"Bastards." Harlock cursed as he passed out. The cub shook in anger but there was nothing he could do as of now.

-------------------------

After a while the car came to a stop, outside of a old abandoned Factory. The cub jumped of the car quickly and hid as the men came out. Again the sent made him snare as he remembered that sent well. His father had often had that sent on him after battling what he only knew as the green men. Little did he know of how long his people had fought to keep Earth safe from the Illumidas, as the green men called them self. And even less did he know how he was honouring those before him, as he tried to find a way to protect his master. One of the men pulled Harlock out of the car and lifted him over his shoulder. The boy was still knocked out. The cub snared, seeing his master hanging like that.

"Get him onto the room we prepared, and make sure he is properly chained. I did not expect this kid to give us that much trouble." The apparent leader said growling, as he stroked his sore jaw, he had been the first to feel Harlock's fist. The cub growled low and followed them, but stayed out of sight as they walked to the door. The door closed right before he got in.

_Shit, now what?_ He growled to himself and tried to open the door with his paw.

"Can't get in that way. Must find a way in." He said low to himself as he jumped down from the small stairs and moved around the wall. He looked around looking for some way he could get in. Most f the windows had wood nailed over them and all the doors were locked it seemed. He growled as he moved on.

_There must be a way in. There must._ He whined as his hope were failing.

"Craw, I'm leaving then. Be back soon with some food." He suddenly heard a crow say to another crow. He looked up and saw the crow leaving a broken window in a door on top of a fire stairs. He ran up to the stairs but realised that the end of it was drawn up. Growling to himself he jumped up after it. Even as he jumped much higher that any normal wolf at his age could, he was still far from getting hold of the stairs, and draw it down. He tried a few more times with on luck.

_There must be way for me to get up there_. He whined to himself going around himself looking up at the stairs. He looked around for anything to help him. He saw a trash can stand next to a fence, not to far from the fence there were a air went box, not to far from the up draw stairs.

_Hey, if I use those and do what I did when I climbed that three in the garden, I can get up there. It's not much farther apart from the branches._ He thought as he moved to the trash can. Looking up at the jumps he would be making, he swallowed his fear.

_I don't know how, but I know I can do this. I just have to trust my instinct on this one._ He thought as he lay all his trust on his natural skill. He jumped the first jump on top of the trash can with no problem, landing on the fence on the other hand were harder, but he somehow managed to keep his balance long enough to make the next jump. As he jumped up to the box, he turned around and realised that he had done it. One more jump and he would have made himself a way in. Exhaling, he turned to the stairs. He aimed on on the stairs and took the jump. Flying towards it, he bit hold of on of the steps and the stairs gave in and ran down towards the ground. He held on as the stairs came towards the ground in a dangerous speed. Suddenly there were a sudden stop so sudden in fact, that the cub lost his grip and landed hard on the ground. Growling in pain, he stood up again. He looked up angry at himself, as he believed that the stairs had gone up again. Realising that it was still down and that he could use it now, he jumped up and down in joy.

_I did it! Now to find Harlock. _He growled happy as he jumped up and carefully climbed the stairs. As he finally came up to the door, he looked down.

_This is high up_. He gasped as he saw how far he had climbed. _No time for this. Harlock needs me. _He thought and tried to open the door. He sighed and looked at the broken window on it. There were a lot of sharp shards poking out from the frame.

He swallowed his fear as he looked at them and took his chance. Sliding easily between the shards, he landed on the floor on the other side. Gasping as he had hold his breath as he jumped, he looked back realising that he had gotten though without being hurt.

"Bastard! Let me go!" He suddenly heard Harlock call out. Moving quickly on the tubes that were hanging from the roof, the cub moved towards the sound.

"What ever it is that you want, you wont get it. Let me go!" Harlock yelled out. The cub could hear Harlock start to say something else, but it was shorted out as the cub could also hear the flat hand that struck Harlock over the face. The cub snared and jumped down on the floor. He moved quickly towards the door but stopped and hid as he saw to of the other men stand outside of the door.

"Blasted kid, stray still! Or I will shot you. Your dad does not need to see that you are alive or not." A man cursed and the cub could hear the click that came when a lock clicked in place.

"There, that should hold him." The first voice said as he turned to the other two.

"Now what, sir?" the same voice asked the leader. The leader looked at Harlock before he turned around.

"Lock the door. We'll wait a few hours before we call the father Harlock. If he wants his son back, he will have to give us our Memory capsule back." As the first one locked the door into the room Harlock were in, he looked to his leader.

"Will he actually give us it back? Will he not just give up his son? The capsule is more important then that? He asked.

"No, not to these humans. their feelings control everything and to them, specially to this Harlock, his son is more important than anything. That will be his undoing." The leader said as they left. They sat down in a room right in front of the room Harlock were in. As the cub moved carefully up to the door, he backed of quickly as one of the men could see the door clearly.

_I have to find another way in._ He thought, as he moved around the room in the hall. Coming to a dead end, he suddenly heard Harlock struggle against the chains that held him. He groaned low and the chains rattled. The cub turned his ears towards the sound and suddenly saw down on a air went that went into the room. He looked into it and sniffed. The sent of Harlock was very clear, and he whined low. Taking hold of the bars in front of it, he pulled at it as hard as he could. He growled, as he also tried to shake his head to break it off. Growling as he struggled to pull the bars away, blood started to drip from his mouth, as he forced his jaws beyond the point they could stand. To the cubs luck the wall were not so strong as it had been, and it crumbled as the cub gave it one last pull. The bars loosed with a loud bang, throwing the cub backwards.

"What was that?" He suddenly heard the men ask, as one of them stood up. The cub panicked, placing the bars in front of the opening again and jumped behind some old boxes that where there. As the man come around the corner, the cub forced himself as far behind that he could, trying to make himself as small as possible.

"What was that..." The man said as he moved towards the boxes where the cub hid. Using is gun, he moved around on the boxes.

Suddenly a large rat came running out from the boxes, startling the man. He shot a few shots at it, but the rat got away.

"What was that!?"

"What's going on!?" The other three men came running, as they had heard the shots.

"Nothing just a large rat." The first one said. They moved back to the room they had been in. The cub could hear the men laugh of the first one for being scared of a rat. He moved carefully out from the boxes and moved quickly up to the bars again. Taking them away, he looked into the other opening. The bars on the other side had luckily fallen of.

"Where are you going?" A voice made the cub jump and turned around growling. He stopped as he saw that it was the rat from before.

"Oh, its you. I owe you one. Thank you." The cub said and lowered his head in a small bow. The rat was surprised at the cub's sense of honour.

"Nothing to thank for. If I had not done that we both would be dead. And you were so hell-bent in getting in there. What's in there?" The rat asked and sniffed in on the other side.

"A human?" The rat asked. The cub nodded.

"My master, he is being held here by some bad men. I came here to free him." The cub said and crawled into the opening. As he came to the end, he looked carefully around. The room had nothing in it really. It was empty except from the bed that Harlock was tied down on. Seeing that it were no other people in there, the cub crawled in. Harlock turned as something black came in trough a hole in the wall. He was chained to the sides of the bed, with a chain around his arms and legs, locking him down on the bed.

"Wolf!" He said, as he saw the young cub stand up and came towards him. The cub jumped up beside him. Harlock's lip were bleeding as the man had hit him pretty hard. The cub whined and licked his face.

"How did you find me?" He asked happy to see the cub. The cub whined and took hold of the chain, that Harlock had around his right wrist. Growling, he pulled all his small body could, trying to make it snap.

"Wolf, stop it! You can't bite through steel." Harlock said as he saw the blood dripping down from his jaws as it had begun to bleed again.

"Wolf, listen to me. Do you know the way back to the house?" Harlock asked. The cub let the chain go and looked at him. Nodding slowly the cub looked into Harlock's hazel brown eyes.

"Good, then go back, find my dad and show him the way here." The cub nodded and jumped down from the bed. He moved quickly up to the hole in the wall. Stopping, he turned to his master.

"I will be back, master Harlock. Hang on." The cub said smiling slightly, before he crawled back into the hole and were gone.

"Wolf..." Harlock said confused. He turned his look to the roof. He could hear his grandfather's voice in his head.

_"Perhaps after every thing this cub have been trough, he does not dare to speak like that in fear of scaring you, and then get killed for talking like that." _Harlock sighed with a smile.

_I am glad you trust me, wolf. I trust you with my fate now._

The cub could nearly hear the voice from his master, as he quickly moved back to the door he had gotten in trough. As he made his way out from the building, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He ran cursing his own failure to free his master on his own.

_One day... One day I will be strong enough to bite through even steel._ He cursed as he ran on.

_Must find Harlock's dad! Only he can help! Hurry!_ These things were going through his head as he ran back, towards the road. _Hurry! Hurry! Harlock needs me!_

--------------------------------------

Harlock's dad stood in front of the house with his wife, broken up in tears, in his arms. His father wandered back and forward.

"Easy Mira. I will find him. They will regret taking our son." He said stroking her chin. He started to move away when one of the servants moved his car up to him.

"Wait, son." Harlock's grandfather called. Harlock's dad stopped and turned around.

"The wolf followed Harlock. Wait a little more. That cub is a grandson of Swift Paws. He will be back either with Harlock or he will show you the way." The grandfather said coldly.

"Dad, how can you put so much faith in that little cub? It not even likely that that he found them." Harlock's dad sighed.

"Just wait a little more." The grandfather said. Harlock's mother fell down on the floor crying. Harlock's dad moved up again, helping her up again and sat her down in a chair. Letting his wife cry into his shoulder, he looked to his dad.

"I wait half hour..." He growled and looked to the way the men had left, cursing himself for not knowing that that accursed green box would put his son in danger.


	5. The Name

The young wolf cub ran as fast as his paws would carry him. He was not to far from the Harlock mansion as he had used the cars on the road to get back quicker. Now he was running back up the last road.

_Hold out Harlock. I am nearly there._ He thought to himself as he could finally see the big house. Jumping over the wall, he ran strait to the front door. As he skidded to a stop he gasped for air, as his though hang out from his mouth. He could clearly smell Harlock's parents but they were no where to be seen.

_Where are they?_ He asked himself whining a little. Then his instincts took over and he lifted his head backwards and howled out. In died the house the father and mother jumped to their feet and ran out side to met the cub followed by the grand father.

«See, Phantom? I told you he would come back.» The grandfather said looking to his son.

«The question is can he help us?» The father said growling. His wife stood shaking behind him. The cub looked at them not sure how he could let them now where Harlock where. He barked and jumped up and down.

«He knows something.. Maybe if you take him into the car, he can show you the way?» The grand father said to his son. The cub barked quickly showing that he agreed. The father, named Phantom nodded.

«Mira, wait here, if the kidnappers call try to stall for as long as you can. I will be back with our son, I promise.» Phantom said and hugged his wife.

«Be careful my love.» She said as tears where coming up in her eyes again.

«I will.» He said and walked down the stairs to the wolf cub. The cub ran after him up to the car. The cub had never sat in a car before and became a little uneasy but forced himself to shake it of, Harlock's life were on the line. Phantom lifted the cub over to the passenger seat and sat in himself. He looked to the cub as he stood up looking out. Phantom shook his head and started the car. As they moved out of the gate the cub whined.

_«Take right.»_ The cub said inside the fathers head. The man looked to the cub and shook his head.

«Right.» He said and took right. The cub lead him quickly forward as the cub remembered the way clearly.

----------------------

Soon enough they arrived the old factory the men had come to.

«Is this the place?» He asked looking to the cub. The cub barked. Phantom nodded, and parked the car on the outside. He got out closely followed by the cub. They moved quickly towards the door the men had gone into.

_«Wait!» _ The cub said biting hold of Phantom's pants leg. The man looked down to the cub.

_«The door is locked. This way, I found another way in.»_ The cub said and ran back tot he stairs where he had gotten in the first time. Phantom followed closely behind him as the cub climbed the stairs.

_Incredible. This cub has done everything in his power to help my son. I have never seen should devotion in an animal before. Maybe my father was right, it was a great loss when the wolfs were killed._ Phantom thought to himself as he came to the door. He took hold of the handle but the door was locked. He drew up his gun ready to shot the lock, when suddenly the door slided open. As it did he could see that the cub were hanging by the handle and had used his hind legs to turn the lock. The cub smiled and let go. Phantom smiled shocked but picked up the cub as he saw he was bleeding, he had a cut on his left shoulder. Phantom turned around looking for any danger, when he suddenly saw the broken window and that on some of the shards there were blood.

«Why did you?» He asked when suddenly the cub twisted his ear around and then twisted out of his grip before ruing down the hall. Phantom followed closely holding his gun ready.

«Give us the green box, or your kid will suffer the consequences.» Phantom heard as he ran. Running towards the voice he could also hear his fathers angry voice.

«I told you I have no idea my son had any green box, or where he has it. You will have to wait to my son gets here, I tell you.»

_Good going dad, keep stalling._ Phantom thought as he came to a stop. From where he stood he could see three of the green man standing in the door, moving slowly on he could also see the fourth one standing next to a bed where Harlock lay.

_Easy son, hang on I will have you out of there soon._ Phantom thought as he moved closer.

«No more waiting, old man! I told you what would happen if you did not do as I told you. Now regret not doing as I said!» The leader of the men said and aimed his gun to Harlock's head.

«No! Stop!» The grandfather called and there where a horrified scream coming from the mother. Phantom jumped down from his hiding place and ran forwards.

Suddenly a shot here heard freezing Phantom in his tracks, a gasp coming from the screen and then a growl of pain where heard. The green mans shot had missed Harlock's head with a few inches as Harlock had just managed to turn his head away. The green leader backed of just enough for Phantom to see the cub hanging by his gun arm. The cub had used the went to get in and came surprising at them as his anger took control. Phantom screamed a call of challenge as one of the green men ran in to help his leader and the two others turned to see Phantom run towards them.

The cub let go of the arm and jumped down on the floor, running under the leaders feet he move quickly and jumped up using his fangs in the same way that he had done before. His fangs made a deep cut over the leaders face before he cut the arm of the other one as well. As the leader aimed his gun to the cub again, the cub moved quickly and jumped at them again, this time moving so quickly he looked like a black light flashing past them. Cutting them two more times the cub suddenly slammed into the wall, as he could not stop in that speed. The cub sank together gasping for air.

«Blasted beast!» The leader called and aimed his gun to the cub.

«Wolf! Don't!» Harlock called. The cub growled but could not move. The suddenly a well aimed blast came from the door and took down the leader before taking down the other one as well.

«Dad!» Harlock called seeing his father standing in the door.

«Are you hurt?» He asked smiling faintly. He was short breathed and looked at his son worried.

«I am okey.» Harlock answered. The cub forced himself up and jumped up in the bed. He whined as he came up tot Harlock's face.

«I knew you would not fail.» Harlock said glad.

«Thats one of a kind wolf you have there.» Phantom said smiling as he shot the chains of his son. Harlock threw himself around his fathers neck.

«Easy son, lets go home.» He said as Harlock let go.

«Dad, your arm..» Harlock said worried as he saw the blast wound on his right arm.

«Yeah.. Luckily it's not so deep. Your mother is gonna yell at me, still.» Phantom laughed as he lead his son out of the factory. Harlock held the cub in his arms.

«I have found a name for him, dad..» Harlock said smiling, as they sat down in the car.

«What then?» Phantom looked at him smiling as the cub lay down in his son's lap.

«Ligthingtooth.» Harlock said proudly. The cub looked up at him wide eyed.

«Thats a good name for him, son. A very good name.» Phantom said as he started the car but had to laugh as the cub jumped up in Harlock's face giving him an overhaul licking, while his tail went like a drumstick.

--------------------

Tochiro dried an tear in his eye, as Harlock ended his story.

Ligthing smiled and lay his head in Harlock's lap again. Harlock smiled as he stroked the wolf over his head.

«Ever since he was little, Ligthing has been your protective shadow.» Mimee said smiling with her eyes.

«But what happened with the box? I mean if the Illumidas where on Earth already back then?» Tochiro asked shocked. Harlock stood up and moved over to the window. Ligthing whined as he saw that Harlock was not gonna tell on about that.

«Phantom Harlock took it to be looked into and found the orders of the attack of the Earth's colonies. He then took it to the government to make them prepare for an attack but no one would listen to him. They all agreed that Phantom Harlock must have gotten some sort of space madness, as he claimed that Earth would be attacked by Green men. Phantom become enraged at took his ship The Discoverer out in the stars again, with his crew. They were never heard from again but a few years later the wreck of the Discoverer was found. The government claimed that Phantom had gone mad and must have rammed into a meteor or something... They never even bothered with finding out what had really happened.» Lighting growled. Tochiro looked to Harlock's back. He understood why Harlock could not bring himself to tell it.

«But we knew that that were not true. Joining up with the military right after the first attacks, we found out the true ending of Phantom. His ship had held the first advancing troops back for a long time, but at the end, the Discoverer was not a battle ship and were destroyed. The Illumidas were shocked when they heard Harlock's name the first time.» Ligthing said growling. Tochiro nodded slowly. He finally understood why Harlock had joined the Military in the first place. He had known the Illumidas had killed his father and had joined to revenge his father.

Tochiro took and refilled his and Mimee's glass.

Harlock turned, sensing a change in his friend.

«Your father was a true warrior, Harlock. Gohram!» Tochiro said lifting his glas proud. Harlock smiled and lifted his glass as well.

«Gohram!» He said thinking of his father, wondering if he lived up to what his father had wished for him to be.

**Author's note:**

**Here it is:**

**the final chapter of this story. Hope this worked as en explanation of how Harlock came to have Ligthing as his guarding wolf friend. Also I tried to cover a bit more background for the good Pirate as well covering more of his fathers fate and how it changed his.**

**Hope it was a well enough attempt.**

**Feel free to tell me how I did.**

**Ligthingtooth.**


End file.
